KYIV: In a rare admission from the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky told AFP on Friday that his army needed more people to lift morale amongst their ranks.
The government mobilization law was passed late last year because Ukraine lost ground to Russian forces due to lack of manpower.
Zelensky says, “We need to complete the reserve. They have huge numbers of empty (brigades).”
There are many Ukrainian soldiers who can never get discharged even after serving for two years and more.
As fighting drags on with no end in sight, the army is having trouble recruiting while the fighters grow tired and furious of lack of rotation.
“We should arrange this so that guys can change each other in a normal way. And then they’ll be cheered up,” Zelensky said.
“It’s about both physical power and fairness which means we have to create reserves,” he added.
The new law will take effect as soon as tomorrow according to parliament
It also discharges many soldiers by simplifying procedures for conscription while lowering minimum age limits for mobilization from 27 down to 25
However, one vital element was omitted amid controversy when Parliament did not pass a proposal allowing those who had served for over three years to quit.
